Stylish, value-packed metal beds catch retailers' eyes
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, April 28, 2002
HIGH POINT — Retailers flooded metal bed showrooms and snapped up stylish, value-laden introductions in a market that pleased exhibitors.
"We saw all the majors," said Victor Sawan, president of Wesley Allen, which brought out a broad array of products. "And the attitudes were, across the board, unbelievably optimistic. I have never seen such an optimism, a willingness to look at new things. It gives me great hope that the next six months will be fantastic."
Fashion Bed Group also did well.
"What made it a great market was the acceptance of the new products we introduced," said Ron Ainsworth, president. "We took a stab at $699 and up price points and we had tremendous success."
Fashion's Kensington Manor program tests higher-priced products offering more selective distribution. The test program includes beds at $699 and $799. Beds like those are popular with retailers, Ainsworth said, because "they see more profit" at those price points, and Fashion's offerings are strong contenders in the market for better goods.
Elliott's Designs also was pleased. "It was probably the best market we've had in two years," said Darien Chung, national sales manager. "We beat April in the first two days.
Retail moods "are very positive," Chung said. "Everyone is happy." He said the Elliott's team was happy because retailers were buying.
"It's not just 'I'm looking'," he said. "They actually wrote orders."
Marseilles, a four-poster bed retailing at $799, was one of the hits at Elliott's. So was a cast sleigh bed retailing at $499 in a standard finish.
A new Connie Post-designed showroom helped pack retailers in at Largo, said Dick Yargus, vice president of sales and marketing.
"Connie just redid our showroom, and she has done so much work around the country and she told retailers to come and look at us," Yargus said. "It was a real good deal for us."
While the excitement of a dramatic new showroom helped lure retailers, it was a solid, well-merchandised product line that closed the deals, he said.
"Our products were extremely well received," he said. "The majors shopped us and we had major commitments across the board."
Attendance at Largo was up 50% over last April, Yargus said.
"Market was pretty upbeat," said Eddie Alala Jr., national product manager for Hickory At Home.
"We had pretty good traffic in here," he said. "It was very encouraging."
Hickory at Home did well with a variety of new metal futon frames, as well as seven new metal beds retailing from $199 to $399. "Retailers want more variety," Alala said. "We are focusing on the proven winners — price points and styles that sell."
Another company with a broad package of introductions was Powell, which had six new metal beds, retailing from $99 to $199.
"This is a major growth category," said Jerry Ruff, president. "If we can provide not just the promotional beds, but the next step up, our customers can buy more from us."
Corsican did well with both its kids' and regular bed offerings, said Marvin Alperin, director of marketing and sales. "Market was great," he said. "Dealers were looking at and buying the kids' line and our new Paris Collection. It was good, thankfully good."
Vitali debuted its Italian-produced line of iron beds retailing from $499 to $1,699, available in 300 finishes.
"We are making a low-key start so we can control distribution in the market," said John McNeill, who represents the line in the United States. "We are looking for retail partners."
The company offers a "FerroHide" finish that is a specially formulated elastic coating that provides insulation from the cold touch of metal that some consumers find objectionable, McNeill said.
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| Eddie Alala Jr. with new metal futon frames offered at market by Hickory At Home. |
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| John McNeill of Resource Associates shows off a hand-forged Italian bed by Vitali. |
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